VALUE OF HEROES
by ImperfectSystem
Summary: Conner Kent, AKA The Superboy finds himself being left behind by the growing A world he can never be a part He is ..just like But will a mysterious Bruce Wayne and a proposal that may determine the survival of Earth solve all of Conner's ..Or make entirely new ones?
1. SUPERBOY

_/_S_UPERBOY/_

Lex stood up at the circular table and examined the many faces of interest. He looked to his right, at a young woman with dark skin, Amanda Waller was her name— a warden and scientist at the sanatorium and penitentiary known as Belle Reve. On his left was seated Doctor Hugo Strange, a psychiatrist at the same penitentiary with some agendas of his own.

What an odd bunch of people, thought the billionaire. But he had to. His immense curiosity demanded it. For Lex Luthor, Founder and CEO of LexCorp, leading scientist in so many fields and self-proclaimed arch nemesis of Earth's Man of Steel, has discovered something. An awesome power of unkempt potential but with one problem that Lex could see…it wasn't his.

The building that he had chosen to have this meeting was nothing more than an empty storage warehouse with rusty metal walls, chains and crates. Quite cliché if anyone asked him. Alas it was not just any rusty old warehouse. The walls were lead lined, the windows on the walls were bullet and shatterproof and there was a small device in his pocket that jammed scanners and radars in case the superhero Cyborg was looking. This was now the most secure place on Earth, every entrance was guarded by inmates from Arkham Asylum—the world's most deranged and dangerous criminals stood watch from Bane to Mr Freeze.

Around his table he saw some others not of his company but his allies nonetheless. Alan Rikkin was the CEO of Abstergo Industries—a multinational corporation Lex had found out had strong ties to the Knights Templar. Next to them was a daughter branch of CADMUS Labs called NOWHERE, both owned by Lex Luthor.

There were at least five other groups with three representatives. He, Waller and Strange represented LexCorp. Rikkin, Mitsuko Nakamura and another member represented Abstergo. Then there were the faces Lex had only seen in profiles. Three members of the Gormagon Brotherhood—a secret organisation hell bent on eradicating The Freemasons and The Illuminati, they had been summoned to listen in on a proposition and Lex was very persuasive when he had the right leverage. Then there were some other corporations as well including the Coca Cola Industry.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' Luthor started, grabbing the attention of his talkative guests. 'As I have said, we are looking to build an alliance of the world's most powerful groups…with the exception of Wayne Enterprises which turned down my offer before I even entered the building.'

'Why?'

Lex looked at one of the Gormagons with annoyance at the interruption, 'Why what?'

'What do you want from any of us that you feel the need to create an alliance? Or has LexCorp fallen on hard times?'

Lex shook his head and laughed. 'Desire, Mr Lucian. I desire to share in my plans and build an alliance of reason and progress. An alliance is the only way we can effectively gain power and influence and not to mention it would also boost our chances were we to go up against the Justice League or the Assassins.

Now back to the point—Apple has just accepted the proposal, so has our nameless brotherhood responsible for Pepsi and Coca Cola. Now, are you and your brethren in or out?'

'We need time to think—'

'Fine…you have ten seconds and counting.'

Lucian grunted and aggressively banged his hands on the table and looked Luthor in the eye almost challengingly. 'Fine then, we're in. But I want your full support and cooperation and that we be treated as more than just your pawns for disposal.'

'You have my word, Lucian, I have no intention of _using_ pawns. That entails that I use pieces with so little to do. No I am more of having my entire side of the board fill with queens.'

'It is settled then,' spoke Waller, 'every organisation here has pledged their allegiance. Now we must talk about the operation.'

The room erupted in disbelieving roars. 'What do you mean, "Operation"? We barely got settled into this team and now we have to get started?'

'Actually we have already begun five days ago. We have Belle Reve and Arkham Asylum doing missions across the globe trying to track down a very powerful device of unknown power and potential.' Luthor stopped there. In truth he was less than sure on whether he should disclose more information. Lex was not a man so easily trusting like his nemesis in blue, no Lex was taught by his father to question everything and everyone he was to associate himself with. He had no enemies or friends because to Lex Luthor, everybody on Earth had the potential to become his enemy. But now he was looking to gamble. He nodded a signal to Hugo Strange whom returned the gesture and propped out a small object resembling an iPhone.

Strange placed the device on the table and tapped the screen which then turned on and projected a holographic image of a ring like shape with symbols around the face. It was obviously not to scale but also had a man standing one third smaller in height next to it.

'This is the device that I have mentioned. It is an ancient tool that by my understanding works somewhat similar and maybe linked to the Boom tube devices used by the Justice League.' Luthor waited again for a reaction—there was none. 'The problem is that it has fallen into the hands of the United States Government of America.'

They all looked around at each other. They all guessed what would be asked of them eventually. 'Am I to guess properly that you want the Gormagon to steel it?'

Luthor shook his head at him. 'No. The device is being held in a secret US military base, location unknown, designation unknown. I want you to find these information including who runs it and who are involved. Find the device but do nothing until you find out how to operate it.' Luthor then paused, secretly it was for effect and a chance to allow his allies to think. 'After that I want you to turn—'

**CRASH!**

_**BANG!**_

Something from the ceiling shattered, glass from the skylight rained down upon them in shards. Then came a loud crash of an object as heavy as a wrecking ball breaking their table. They were thrown back away from the round table and when the dust cleared out from their vision they saw it. The red S-shield was more than redundant enough to kick them into action.

But it was not Superman. 'Ah Conner, how nice of you to drop in, a cliché line but warranted nonetheless.' Luthor chuckled as he got himself up and moved to help Amanda Waller up. 'Tell me, Conner, how have you been lately, son?' he asked the magnificent success of cloning in front of him, now in a black tight but long sleeved shirt with the red S-shield on his chest, light and dark blue camouflage army pants and boots.

'That's enough, Luthor. You and everybody else in this building is under arrest and—' BOOM! Conner was punched in the face from the side. Bane smirked or tried to under his mask as he felt his knuckles hit the boy's youthful head.

'I don't think so, Senor Superboy. In fact I'd—' _**KABOOM! **_

With even more strength and ferocity, Superboy retaliated. His punch threw the VENOM fuelled villain across the warehouse and out through the front door leaving the entrance in splinters. 'I guessed that makes us even.'

'Bravo, my son, bravo, your strength has doubled since the last time we met.'

'I said enough, Luthor, now you are all coming with me to The Metropolis Police Department.'

Luthor did nothing— he just stood there and smiled. His grin was what angered Conner the most. It screamed of his arrogance and unwillingness to face defeat. 'I noticed that you haven't been using those Shields I've been sending to you. You've used one satchel's worth and have since stopped.'

'I don't need them, Luthor. I don't need to supress my _human_ DNA to be "Super". Superman taught me that, Luthor. And I though he taught _you_ that too. I maybe human but I am not you.'

'Admirable sentiment, son, but I personally would have taken them for a spin tonight.' With that as a final word, Luthor clicked a button on a remote looking object in his hand and instantly everybody had disappeared in a show of bright light. Luthor, Amanda Waller, Hugo Strange, practically every criminal that was there had vanished. Was it a Boom Tube?

Then his attention moved to another matter for now he heard a ticking echo around and in less than a second he ran for the door. But alas it was too late and the building exploded in a brilliant ball of red light and combustion. Conner jumped into the air and fisted his way through the metal doors and into a river outside.

'Argh, blast it!' Superboy grunted in pain as he swam up to the surface and toward the river bank. He could hear the roar of the flames behind him, the clanks of the metal foundations toppling over.

Soon Conner was back on his feet and looking over at the flaming building, panting with exhaustion and annoyance. He put his hand to his left ear to turn on the earpiece that he just remembered wasn't there. In fact he didn't need one, for he no longer had anyone to report to.

Alas he just had to play along with it, even for a little while for habit's sake. 'Superboy to Team, Luthor escaped. I've failed.'

_**-**_**S**_**uperboy-**_

**All rights and ownership goes to DC Comics and the creators of their fine comic books as well as to Assassin's Creed and other corporations that I've thought to include here.**


	2. SENTIMENT

-**_SENTIMENT-_**

Conner looked out of the window of the diner he chose to have his dinner at. It was a small business, small and quiet, a good place to disappear to especially when one is alone. And that was what Conner was at the moment. He was alone on this planet.

Luthor had killed off the other Genomorphs living underneath CADMUS Labs. They were the closest beings that he could actually call kin. Usually he had the Team which was known worldwide as _Young Justice_, and he had The Teen Titans which was rather similar to The Team in many ways except the Team is a secret Ghost Opp team that operates under cover and is a sort of covert training level for the Justice League. The Teen Titans was a gang of teenage superheroes started by Red Robin, Bunker, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash and him. Oh how he missed his friends.

But they have mostly grown up. Dick Grayson, the original Robin and his best friend had grown and became The Nightwing. All of his friends had moved on.

As he ate his steak and scrambled eggs, Conner was reminded of her. Miss Martian they called her, M'gann, a White Martian and his ex-girlfriend. He missed her a lot. Above all he felt angry. Only a week or less after their initial breakup, he saw her in the arms of another guy, a new recruit of The Team.

How expendable was I? He thought. How easily replaced was I to her? I am a clone—I'm bred to be replaceable.

Then after many years of awkwardness, he begun talking then dating Wonder Girl, only to have his heart break again when she chose Tim Drake, the Red Robin over him. How expendable was he.

He has led armies and yet he will never go above being Superboy. His unique genetic code which was altered to stop him from growing too fast and die in no more than a month— had now made his DNA do the opposite and now he cannot age at all. He was by many definitions…immortal.

He is trapped in this seventeen year-old body for the rest of his life. His life didn't matter—it shouldn't.

From outside he had a good view the streets of downtown Metropolis, the headlights of cars zooming past, the shouts of people for taxis. He witnessed a lovely couple he had just saved from a burning house, embrace and kiss each other, the woman only a few months pregnant. He wondered whether he would be able to do that, to have that: a loving relationship, a partner in this life.

'Can I sit down?'

Conner looked up and saw Bruce Wayne standing in his suit. Conner did not object but mostly out of the fact that he just couldn't care much. He'd let Bruce sit but he didn't have to actually listen to whatever lecture he was sure The Batman would throw down on him.

After he seated himself there was a moment of silence on both parties, before Bruce broke it. 'You haven't been reporting in to Young Justice or the Titans. Are you alright?'

'Yeah, I'm fine, Bruce. There's nothing to worry about.'

Bruce smiled, 'You know, you are a lot like Clark in many ways. An example is that you are both terrible liars.'

'I've failed, Bruce. The mission was to stop Luthor from creating another Crime Syndicate and bring him back to prison. Lex Luthor along with some others had escaped.'

'Did you find out what they were there for?'

Conner thought for a moment to collect his mind up. 'They said something about some sort of device that the United States Government was hiding. A machine of great power, he even showed a picture.' As Conner relayed Batman with the description, Bruce's demeanour changed.

'I have to go, Conner, I'm sorry but this is urgent. I'll see you at Mt Justice in ten hours.' And with that the eccentric Billionaire disappeared out of the diner.

_Something tells me I've really stuffed up_.

-**O-**

The halls of Mt Justice seemed more quiet than usual. His footsteps were actually deafening him. Silently he made his way to his room. It was empty and bare unlike Tim's or Dicks, or Wally's which were always filled with poster and things of sentimental value. Conner's was empty apart from a wardrobe full of clothes and a bed.

There was a calendar next to him, he looked at the date. It was his birthday apparently. Fancy that, he thought.

There was once a time that M'gann never kept this day quiet and would always throw these birthday parties for him. Secretly he loved them, most if not all because they were organised by her. Now he was alone. No one will remember him. Even Bruce Wayne was easy to dismiss him.

He walked to the main hall where the Team usually hung out. The TV was on to the news. No doubt it was Red Tornado. Argh…he was given this sense of nostalgia. The first time he looked Miss Martian deep in the eyes. He felt as though he could have kissed her then and there. But he didn't.

Conner turns the Television off. The room became dim— not dark, just dimmer.

'I haven't been here a lot but I remembered this place used to be more louder than it is now.' Conner turned around and saw none other than Superman himself at the entrance.

'It did…when everyone was here. Times change though, right?'

Superman nodded sadly. 'Do you miss it, the old days?'

'Yeah, I do, a lot, even those bad days when we make fools out of ourselves. I miss them, Kal-El. I miss Wally, Dick. I miss Artemis and Kaldur.'

'You also miss her?'

Conner knew who he meant. Everyone did. 'She's happier now, Clark. She's happy and I can still monitor her in case she abuses her abilities again.'

'You may have done the right thing, Conner—but sacrificing your own happiness like that is hard and can really hurt you in the end. Trust me. I've had my share of failed romances and Bruce has a hundred times as much. It's just how we are sometimes.'

Conner scoffed yet he did not mean it an insult. 'What about you and Wonder Woman, or Bruce and Selina Kyle? You're all rather happy with each other.'

Clark smiled down at the half clone of himself. He approached him and placed a gentle hand upon his shoulders. 'Sometimes life no matter what quality, can present you with happiness. It presents you with one but does not hand it to you. You yourself must take it. But don't let this quest for joy and contentment overrule your duty to the planet.'

Listen, me and Diana were thinking about going out for dinner and we were wondering if perhaps you would like to join us seeing as you don't seem to be busy.'

Conner shook his head. 'I wouldn't want to spoil what could have the potential to become a romantic evening for you.'

'Nah, a "romantic evening" was an hour ago. Now we're just hanging out. So what do you say?'

Conner eyed Clark closely. He admired the man, ever since his creation at CADMUS he had always longed to meet him and though their initial meeting was not a very successful one, they had grown close. Clark was the brother or father that he never had. He was glad that he had chosen Superman to follow rather than Lex Luthor.

In the end he agreed and the two superheroes went out with the princess of the Amazons.

-**O-**

Bruce looked at the hologram closely with analysing eyes. He was tired but this needed to be done. Clark had warned him that being in charge of the Justice League, The Team and a secret government funded military agency was going to strain his "already moody demeanour". Bruce would not believe that for a second. In the command centre he was in, was a large, dark room illuminated by blue lights of hologram projectors and computers. It was a special opps centre that was just too valuable and complex. It was more so than the CIA.

Conner had said that Luthor had been talking about a device of unknown power and described it as a sort of ringlike shape. Bruce knew exactly what he was talking about— because he was now in possession of it.

They had a possible security breach and he needed to know where and how to patch it up.

The time was close. He could feel it in his stomach.

'Computer, activate records of any file opened within the last seven months.' He commanded the system. Then after the screen opened to a window showing over a hundred different files, Bruce spoke again to it again, 'Computer, search for files regarding StarGate.'

'_Analysing History, Stand By…Records Detect One File Opened On The…Sixth Day Of…June…Two Thousand And…Thirteen_' Bruce was on the verge of panic. He selected the file and opened it.

The file was riddled now in viruses and spyware. 'Victor, I need you to isolate the viruses into a separate computer.'

The man next to him was Victor Stone, a founding member of the Justice League and son of Dr Eli Stone whom was the leading researcher of Star Labs. Victor was, after an attack by Darkseid left in a critical state and his father saved his life by giving his son a bionic body…well a semi-bionic body. From then on he was known as _Cyborg_.

'What, you don't want me to destroy them instead, because I could—'

'No. I need to find out who it was and examine the data first. But I need to do that without the operation being compromised.' Bruce explained as he pushed the keys on the keyboard with speed.

Victor nodded to Bruce's command and began to talk with the computer. He was able to link the StarGate Command Centre Main Computer and draw the viruses and spywares into Bruce's personal one. 'Alright, Bruce, it's done.'

'Thank you.'

After Cyborg left him to his work, Bruce returned to examining the file previously corrupted. It was the secret and unfinished Argonaut Project that he had been working on. It was unfinished that he had already several places but no names and files to them. Bruce sighed. It was lucky that he decided to make the file in hard copy first.

On the file he had only a quick diagram of the secret device prepared by their leading scientist on the ancient thing Dr Baker.

He was running out of time. Soon he received a text message. It was from Clark Kent. **_Hay, Bruce. Gone to dinner with Diana and Conner. You and Selina wanna come with? Might get you off work for a change?_**

Bruce sighed again. Clark Kent…no human was he in technicality but when you know him you will find that he is more human than anyone else in the Justice League. 'Alright, Kent, I'll be on my way.'

He needed to begin recruitment. He needed to complete his Argonaut.

**-S**_**UPERBOY-**_

**All rights and ownership go to DC Comics and the creators of their fine comic books as well as to Assassin's Creed and other corporations that I've thought to include here. I had these ideas for so long but was nervous in writing them. I had a dream once— a crazy dream about my favourite characters spanning from eighteen years of living coming together into one awesome universe. Hope it works. **


	3. IN ACTION

_**-IN ACTION-**_

Conner could not hold himself from laughing. Hanging out with Clark and Diana was a lot more fun than he had previously anticipated. They all had barely stopped laughing ever since they got to the five-star restaurant standing tall opposite a museum. They were having dinner outside on the balcony overlooking the entire Metropolitan cityscape.

He looked at his hosts, his friends. They were taking turns trying to embarrass each other with tales and memories. Some of Superman that he knew and others that he wished he knew sooner…or never. Ah his friends—Superman had donned a normal navy-blue suit. He wore also his glasses and with his hair tussled a bit he became Clark Kent, the mild-mannered newspaper reporter of the Daily Planet.

Diana had not done much to hide her identity. Beside the dress and doing her hair up tied back she had left the rest to the usual make up that women use. Clark had convinced her to try on glasses like him, sleeker version but after a date with them before the Atlantis crisis, she decided otherwise.

'…and you'd think that Clark would be a brave guy but our first time, he actually shivered.' Diana Prince also known as Wonder Woman had no problems with laying personal life on the table to laugh at. 'The Man of Steel was too timid to handle a woman.'

'I was worried that I might hurt you, it's a problem that followed me ever since Lana. Sometimes in the heat of the moment I can't always control the amount of power I put in,' explained Clark, trying to hid a blush appearing on his cheeks.

Diana and Clark, Wonder Woman and Superman— two of the most powerful beings on the planet, protectors of Earth were sitting down and talking about human mating rituals. It was quite interesting and refreshing to Conner. Their atmosphere was now completely away from the Watchtower or Mt Justice.

That night they were only Clark Kent, Diana Prince and Conner Kent, and not their designation as Superman the Man of Steel or Wonder Woman Warrior Princess of the Amazons or even Superboy, the experimental success of a psychopathic organisation.

Diana playful worried face and kissed Clark on the cheek. 'So anyway, he didn't do anything so I did and I ended up accidentally throwing him across the Fortress of Solitude and—'

'Hay,' they all looked to a handsome, tall man in an evening suit with an ebony haired woman in a black dress on his arm. 'You look like you're all having a great time without us.'

'Ah, Bruce Wayne approaches, quickly look like we're having fun, might be contagious.' Clark joked as he got up and brought Bruce in for a hug. Diana stood too and lightly embraced Selina. Soon Clark and Conner did the same and Conner shook Bruce's hand before sitting back down. Conner was sitting still next to Clark, sitting next to Diana, sitting next to Selina who was sitting next to Bruce.

After another seven minutes wait they were finally served. They were treated to specials ranging from seafood to roast duck and ravioli. 'So tell me, Conner, I never see you out in the open.' Selina began. 'You know, I never see you in the public eye. The other members of The Team and the Teen Titans have all been in front of the camera, so why not you?'

Conner had to think for a while about Selina Kyle's question. He never really thought about why he never liked the public eye. 'I guess I'm just a little self-conscious about exposing myself to the public— always have been.'

'Shy?'

'No, Diana, Conner's not a loner…he's more like Batman—'

At this Bruce chuckled sarcastically. 'Okay, Kent, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm not the one that goes to work with glasses and an ugly haircut.'

'Huh, okay there Grunt and Grumble voice Batman.' They all burst out in laughter, even Bruce. It was the first time that Conner…well any of them actually see Batman laugh, much less smile.

'No, I choose not to be in the view of society as a whole in order to keep my perspective. I'm used to it and quite frankly I sort of like it.' They all looked at Conner but they did not look with judgement as much as attention, something that Conner was then reminded of his time with The Team. 'It is sort of like having a normal human job really.'

'Yeah, except our chances of survival are slim and questioned on a day to day basis.' It was Diana that stated this as she took a sip of the red wine.

'That isn't really true, Diana,' said Bruce after taking a sip of the white wine.

Clark agreed. 'Yeah, soldiers, police and fire-fighters risk their lives all the time and they don't have super powers. They aren't bulletproof.' They suddenly grew quiet. 'Good people like them and us are more than just heroes. Heroes imply that it's a one-time thing—no we're more than that.'

'Ah, Clark—always the Boy Scout,' Bruce remarked half-jokingly.

'No, seriously, there are some people like us—with super powers, that don't do anything. When they see trouble they are either the ones causing it or they'd ignore the whole thing.'

To this Clark grinned and Diana snuggled in closer to him. He smiles wider still and plants a quick chaste kiss upon her lips. Conner smiles at the scene. This was what he missed most, what he loved most about being in a group or having friends. He remembered sitting at a round table in café at Coast City with Dick, Kaldur, Wally, M'gann and Artemis. Talking and laughing at jokes, back when they were kids, when they were all '_Young Justice_'. Conner had not contacted them in years. Between protecting the world and day jobs, keeping constant contact with friends was difficult especially now when he knew they'd outgrow him.

Conner placed another shrimp into his mouth cleared his mouth of it and then spoke, 'Well, sometimes there are people that just can't do anything about it. Maybe he's having troubles in determining on whether his help is appreciated or even needed?'

'But the whole point of it, what determines what kind of person you are is finding out. Doing the deed and then seeing its consequences, learning from them and then moving on.' Clark's explanation was rather convincing. Conner at one point even tried turning himself into the authorities after returning money he stole to buy clothing. To him it came as natural after the whole CADMUS and NOWHERE thing, to give into authorities without a fight. Of course he couldn't go through with it as he was later side tracked.

'So Conner, have you spoken to the former Young Justice members?'

Superboy was drawn back from memories by Selina Kyle. 'No, not really,' he answered. 'I've been busy with other projects and stuff. But I bumped into Wally at Gotham City General Hospital last week. I think Artemis was sick or something.'

Selina smiled brightly. She shared a quick but hardly unnoticed glance at Bruce to her left then took hold of the multi-billionaire's hand.

**-O-**

The night moved along quite smoothly. Diana, Clark and Selina had gone into a conversation of their own with Bruce about politics of some sort. Conner did not want to be embroiled in any talk about governments and what they're doing in places like Afghanistan.

'Hmm, listen, Conner, can I have a word with you for a while.

Conner inclined his head and stood up. In truth he was relieved. Conner walked beside the multi-billionaire business man. They walked around the balcony, the sounds of bustling from inside the restaurant as well as the streets below.

'I know I can trust you, Conner. You're the only one I know beside Clark that would never develop an agenda.'

'What like half the people in the US Government?' Conner said this with a chuckle. 'But Bruce, you know if you wanted to talk about American politics then you could talk with Clark and the others.'

Bruce shrugged, 'True.' There was more silence between them as Conner looked over the balcony and down at the city. 'Conner, how much do you miss the Team?'

'Well, to be frank, I miss it a lot. It's the first real life I've known after CADMUS. I owe Dick, Kaldur and Wally my life.'

'So you had no problems with taking the mantle of a superhero?'

Conner furrowed at the billionaire. The conversation was getting rather weird and making Conner feel quite uncomfortable. The first reason would be because he did not know where it was going. 'I had issues at times but I guess being a hero— that's what's expected of a partial clone of the most powerful being on Earth. Where are you going with this conversation, Bruce?'

The billionaire paused. He seemed in conflict with himself. His eyes now gazed afar off into the city of Metropolis. 'How would you like to join another team?'

Now Conner was confused again. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and tilted his head slightly, 'What like Teen Titans sort of team?'

Bruce made a face of uncertainty, 'Ah, something rather similar. It's a team of extraordinary people… Come to Wayne Manor in Gotham tomorrow and I'll brief you on the matter. It's of great importance, Conner. Trust me.'

Conner was about to reply with another question when he heard something…BANG! It resounded from below. **BANG!** It sounded of footsteps, very big footsteps.

Then a _**CRASH!**_

And then a powerful roar was heard, followed by some ear shattering screams.

'Something's wrong.' Conner got up onto the banister and looked onto the streets. His super sensory vision allowed him to see from afar and he saw it—a great big grey monster resembling Doomsday.

Apparently Clark heard it too because he was beside them both. 'Doomsday,' he stated upon first impressions. There was a bunch of cops surrounding the beast and shooting but to no effect.

Diana and Selina also joined, both already in their heroine attire. Conner looked down to Bruce who was just putting on his bat-eared mask.

Clark got up and joined Conner on the banister. He removed his coat and glasses. He then ripped open his shirt, buttons flying everywhere. The sigil of the House of El glowing on his chest and then the blue suit began to materialise on him. 'This looks like a job for us.'

He looked at Conner and without hesitation he threw off his human clothing and in its stead was the black solar suit he got from NOWHERE. The red S-shield like Clark's was now glowing red. It was time for some action.

**-S**_**UPERBOY-**_

**All rights and ownership go to DC Comics and the creators of their fine comic books as well as to Assassin's Creed and other corporations that I've thought to include here. I had these ideas for so long but was nervous in writing them. I had a dream once— a crazy dream about my favourite characters spanning from eighteen years of living coming together into one awesome universe. Hope it works. **

**I also hope that readers will take the time to add reviews of my work in hopes that I know if I should even continue or just stop before I crash. Also there are other works too that sort of tie in to this. **


	4. STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

_**-STRENGTH IN NUMBERS-**_

That night turned out to be more hectic than Conner would have guessed. One minute he's enjoying a nice fun time with his brother Clark Kent and his girlfriend Diana Prince, talking politics with Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne—the next thing he knew he was dodging punches from a giant Doomsday like monster in the streets of Metropolis with Superman, Wonder Woman, Catwoman and Batman.

At first they tried talking. Asking it questions, basic questions regarding its origins and the beast replied by attempting to chuck a nerdy bystander at them. Luckily Superman was there to catch him and put him back on solid ground.

'Not much of a talker, this one,' shouted Catwoman as she held her black rope over the beast's arm and struggling to hold it in place.

'Remind you of someone we all know?' Superman chuckled. He delved in and tackled the Doomsday wannabe to the ground.

Bruce just groaned in annoyance at the not so subtle reference to him.

While the beast was on the ground, howling and growling with Superman on his chest pinning him down by the neck with his forearm, Bruce took a grapple batarang to hold its head down. Catwoman had her rope over the right arm and Conner held it's left with Wonder Woman.

The monster then roared so loudly that Superman was almost thrown off by the sheer force of it. 'Keep it down, guys!' roared Superman. 'What are you!' he shouted forcefully at the creature. 'Why are you attacking the city?!' he tried again but to no avail, the creature just kept roaring and growling like an animal.

As Superman kept on punching the Doomsday wannabe, Conner just kept on holding it. This proved futile for after some more struggling, the creature was free of the Superheroes, throwing them away across the road. It roared out with triumph.

Superman helped the others up. His facial expression seemed neutral like it was nothing, contrary to Superboy whom had to grip hold of his shoulder in pain. _Oh, damn that hurt_, he staggered to his feet.

'You okay, Conner?' Superman placed a hand on the injured shoulder. Conner winced a little but brushed it off.

'What are we going to do?'

'What do you mean, Conner?'

Batman appeared by their side, 'This one is different, it isn't a Doomsday creature, it's far too weak and small to be him.'

Superman stood up tall, surveying the creature and their current surroundings. They stood in the middle of the road. The beast was standing a couple of kilometres away. Wonder Woman and Catwoman soon joined up. 'Think we could take him then?' asked Conner, 'I mean there's five of us and one of him—'

'There is no strength in numbers,' Superman stated, at that Conner felt that sense of natural authority, of the good type of self-righteousness in his voice.

Wonder Woman smiled slightly and drew out her Amazonian sword. 'What about strength in strength alone?'

'It's no Doomsday,' said Superman.

'And it doesn't need to be.' Batman then threw several of his bat insignia shurikens which exploded at first contact with the creature. 'Something doesn't feel right, here.'

'No time to figure it out, Batman.' Superman pointed at the monster as it started to stomp on people like bugs. 'Get him, quick!'

They all rushed up to it and begun again their assault. Wonder Woman saw one of the civilians crawling out of some debris from under the monster's right foot. She glided quickly toward him and helped him out and unto his feet before carrying him away.

'Okay, guys, all-out attack at the exact same time. Make sure we confuse him for long enough and hopefully we can get him.' instructed Superman.

They burst out in action. Superboy and Wonder Woman ran and tackled the beast's arms. They held them in place while Catwoman and Batman took simultaneous turns in punching the monster in the face while Superman leapt into the air and gave a power kick with both legs, so powerful that it sent both the monster and the Man of Steel back.

The monster skidded on his back and left a giant crater in the tar road. Yet it still got up and was as angry as it had been in the beginning.

Superman also got to his feet…and also above ground. 'Everybody away!' he shouted. 'Get everyone away and tell them to cover their eyes, especially the children!'

They did as he requested. Wonder Woman and Batman rounded up the adult civilians and Superboy and Catwoman took the children bystanders inside the nearest buildings. 'Cover your eyes and look away,' Superboy told the kids who trusted him with no hesitation.

They then watched on as Superman faced the sky with his eyes closed, breathed in and with a loud battle cry faced the creature with open his eyes. A loud and mighty beam of great alien energy blasted from his eyes and consumed the monster. The light was so intense that the other superheroes had to shield their own eyes.

The creature shrieked and was made silent.

When Superman was done and the crackling beam disappeared. They found Superman bent down on his knees on the road. His hands on the road for support as he panted. Heat vision was always draining and at times it scared Clark when he did it.

It was always like that and Bruce had commented on Superman's ability to look like a god. While others marvelled and gasped at Superman's Heat vision. Clark hid in fear. His own powers could always scare him and this Heat vision moment was also a quite different and scarier experience for the Man of Steel. He had taken every ounce of his strength into that attack.

Luckily it was not futile. They all saw the remains of the monster. Its corpse heavily burnt to a crisp. Its eyes had exploded and blood splattered everywhere.

Wonder Woman was the first at his side, taking him into her arms for comfort. She was whispering to him that it was over and that everything was alright. Superman was very shaken when they all got to him.

What scares Clark Kent more than Kryptonite…is Superman.

'I…I had no choice…I—'

'Shhh, it's fine, it's alright, sweetheart,' the amazon reassured as she stroked his hair. 'It's over.'

Batman came up behind him with a troubled look on his face…or at least that was what Conner thought at first. It was close to impossible to see what Batman's facial expressions were, even when he was Bruce Wayne. 'I'm sorry to cut this moment short…but no, Diana, It isn't over yet.' He placed a hand on Superman's shoulder and drew him up. 'It's far from over yet. Things have gotten complicated.'

'Why, what's happened?' Conner inquired, liking the sound of Batman's usually calm yet grumbly voice.

Batman faced his left where there stood a building with glass doors and windows that were shattered. They all followed his gaze at the building opposite the restaurant that they came from, which had above the door _The Metropolis Museum of Art_. 'It was a decoy.'

**-S**_**UPERBOY-**_

**All rights and ownership go to DC Comics and the creators of their fine comic books as well as to Assassin's Creed and other corporations that I've thought to include here. I had these ideas for so long but was nervous in writing them. I had a dream once— a crazy dream about my favourite characters spanning from eighteen years of living coming together into one awesome universe. Hope it works. **

**I also hope that readers will take the time to add reviews of my work in hopes that I know if I should even continue or just stop before I crash. Also there are other works too that sort of tie in to this. **


	5. SUPERBOY Issue2

-/_**S**UPERBOY_=

VALUE OF HEROES Part II:

_KNOWING YOUR LIMITS_


	6. KNOWING YOUR LIMITS

-_**KNOWING YOUR LIMITS-**_

Conner raced to Wonder Woman as she comforted Superman. On his knees the Man of Steel shrivelled in exhaustion and fear. Conner and Catwoman reached them shortly after and when Superboy saw the look of pure disgust painted on Superman's ill struck face, he shuddered. He's never seen Superman like this.

'I…I had no choice…I—' he managed to say as tears began to form the corner of his eyes but Diana caught them before they did more damage.

'Shhh, it's fine, it's alright, sweetheart,' the amazon reassured as she stroked his hair. 'It's over.'

Batman came up behind him with a troubled look on his face…or at least that was what Conner thought at first. It was close to impossible to see what Batman's facial expressions were, even when he was Bruce Wayne. 'I'm sorry to cut this moment short…' he said looking at both Superman and Conner. '…no, Diana, it isn't over yet.' He placed a hand on Superman's shoulder and drew him up. 'It's far from over yet. Things have gotten complicated.'

'Why, what's happened?' Conner inquired, not liking the sound of Batman's usually calm yet grumbly voice which told him of something off.

Conner watched Batman face his left where there stood a building with glass doors and windows that were shattered. They all followed his gaze at the building opposite the restaurant that they came from, which had above the door _The Metropolis Museum of Art _on a golden plaque. 'It was a decoy.'

'…A decoy?' Catwoman questioned, tilting her head a slight bit.

Conner too was rather confused, 'A decoy for what?'

'I think…we're about to…find out' Superman pointed at the body of the Doomsday Wannabe. Several other figures appeared from behind it. Figures that when they came into view had ignited their recognition.

'You,' Wonder Woman got onto her feet and made for her sword.

There was a figure of roughly the same size as the fake Doomsday monster only this one had on clothes and a wild collection of swords and daggers sticking out of his back. He came out from the veil of greenish smoke. It was Solomon Grundy, accompanied by some more members of the Justice League's Rogue Gallery.

There was a man dressed in rags Jonathan Crane a.k.a The Scarecrow, an actual cat woman called Cheetah and Deathstroke, a master assassin wielding duel swords and wearing a black and orange mask.

'What do you want, Grundy?' Diana asked.

Solomon Grundy gave an evil smirk. 'We come for Kryptonian blood.'

Batman gritted his teeth, Wonder Woman tightened the grip on her sword whilst Catwoman merely smirked. Superman however was struggling to get up. The Heat Vision he had unleashed had drained him of Solar Radiated Energy.

'No, Superman, you stay down,' said Batman in his usual commanding tone.

Superman shook his head in protest and attempted to regain his footing, he met with confusion when Batman forced the weakened Man of Steel back down. 'I said stay down, Boys Scout, and let us protect you for a change.'

'He's right, honey. You need to rest a while, let your friends save you tonight.' Wonder Woman smiled at him as he nodded.

So there they stood: Batman, Catwoman, Wonder Woman and Superboy, ready for yet another fight.

'You know what?' Superboy asked the group, 'we need a battle cry, something to get us pumping.'

As the rogues approached, Batman produced a batarang from his belt, 'How about, "Attack?"

And with that they sprinted forward. Wonder Woman twirling her sword, shouted something in Ancient Greek. Catwoman took the same stance as Batman's fighting stance whilst Conner merely held his fists at the ready. His Solar Suit was now glowing a brighter red. They sprinted half way before Batman sent his first batarang at the enemy.

**-O-**

Cyborg examined a ring diagram glowing on the monitor. They were missing one last component in order for the device to work. It was an orb of some sort, there were many drawings of the orb; golden and with a mysterious aura surrounding it.

A mysterious lost artefact dating well past the development of writing, the orb was described as a very powerful source of energy.

As for the device—it was very different to the first device though similar in other ways. This one looked like it was made especially to be powered by the orb. To be honest, Cyborg was quite glad of that.

Cyborg stood in the quite dark room, filled with the blue glow of computer screens. His eyes transfixed with the diagram and his left robotic eye scanned the left hand part of the screen as thousands of codes and information scrolled down as quickly as The Flash. It was not until he got a ringing in his head di he snap out of his concentration.

'_Command Centre_,' a voice started in his head after the ringing stopped. '_This is Harvest Master._'

'Cyborg here, report in, Harvest Master.'

'_Beta-Harvest team has located Sub17 at location G. It's difficult to say but metre's reading some high concentration of unidentified energy signature similar to traces found on the device.'_ the voice reported in, his rough masculine voice seemed drained of its usual power. He had been running.

'Good work, Harvest Master. Do not engage yet.' Cyborg now walked away from the big screen now his focus was on the reporting. 'Stay close to him, but maintain covert procedure and await further instructions from Batman.'

'_Roger that, Cyborg, Maintaining visual surveillance until phase Three activation_.' After that the audio feed switched off and there was silence.

Cyborg sighed out of frustration. Not at the day, no the day was coming off rather perfectly for him. But right now he just felt empty. Victor Stone was feeling somewhat…strange, a feeling that something was not right. They were attempting to tamper with powers far beyond his ever limitless thinking could fathom. He pressed a button located on the side of his head, turning on a tab on the big screen. A bearded man in a lab coat appeared on a video conference tab, 'Doctor Johnson…Call in Doctor Baker. I need to check on something.'

**-O-**

It was just another battle. They had fought a worser array of rogues throughout their career. So it should have been that they were to win and they were. Wonder Woman had just knocked out Deathstroke. Catwoman was engaging Scarecrow with Conner and Batman had Solomon Grundy.

Batman was jumping everywhere: over the giant man while at the same time hitting him with a shower of his smoke pallets used to knock out adversaries. After a lot of evading, Grundy had taken hold of Batman's dark cape and was now holding the mortal hero in one hand.

He was about to smash Batman down onto the road when Conner leapt onto the criminal beast's head, kicking it rapidly.

Wonder Woman now moved on to helping Catwoman with Scarecrow and Cheetah. Dr Crane was about to throw a canister of his Fear gas at the heroines but just before he could let go, Catwoman had managed to grab the crazy psychologist's hand holding the weapon and direct the opening at Scarecrow himself.

The doctor was crying and screaming in mere seconds on the ground. Yelping and muttering his fears.

A taste of his own medicine, the best cure for any ill favoured intention.

Cheetah was much more, easier to dispatch as Wonder Woman had but simply punch the other woman in the gut then head and she was passed out.

After that they all tackled Solomon Grundy to the ground and held him there but the beast's strength had thrown them off. Conner now faced the monster, faced with Grundy's ginormous bare feet inches away from his actual face, prepared to be stomped on when…CRASH!

A huge force had sent Grundy into an empty building. It was Superman. Though not at full strength was strong enough to give Solomon Grundy a nice uppercut hit.

At that moment, Superman could not fly thus he simply ran to the building where he took Grundy up by the shirt collar, glaring at the monster in his hand. 'What do you want, Grundy?!'

Grundy groaned in pain, his vision suddenly blurred but he was able to speak still. 'You're blood,' and with that Grundy gave his best punch into the face of a weakened Superman, tossing him in the opposite direction back through the building.

They all saw as Superman was hurled out and into the museum. Conner saw Superman struggle out of the building. Blood was now seeping out of his mouth and eyes and then he just collapsed.

Diana and Batman rushed to him and Batman put his hand on Clark's neck, to hear a pulse…

Nothing.

Conner could neither hear of feel the distinct thumping of Superman's heart. Was…was he dead? No…that's impossible. Even Doomsday was unable to kill The Man of Steel…

What…what's happening?

Something in Conner snapped and he did not know what was happening to him, he just sped off into the building and grabbed a hold of Grundy. By the look on Solomon's face he was not expecting this. Superboy begun to punch the rogue in the head, each punch created a thumping noise heard even twenty blocks away.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The sound echoed off the shattering windows. Conner was roaring in rage. Eyes…glowing…red!

After ten or so of beating him up, the most extraordinary happened. A high intensity beam had shot out of his eyes. It was like Superman but this was impossible.

You see, Conner was a genetic replication of Superman but with the human gene of Lex Luthor. He was not fully Kryptonian and thus should not be able to use all of the abilities in the Kryptonian yellow sun spectrum.

But what came next was even more shocking. Superboy directed his still shooting and even more powerful laser directly at Grundy and in mere seconds and with a load yelp, the monster's head burst and popped.

Blood had splattered the windows and door. But it would not stop. Conner tried but the blasts were still flowing. He began to panic.

Then came two big hands envelope his face and shielding the beams from exiting his skull. 'That's enough, Conner!' came a familiar voice…Clark?

The mist cleared in Conner's head. The smoke was receding and so too was his heat vision. Conner's heart was racing. The beats were deafening even to him.

'Calm down, Conner, collect your head.' said Superman.

When the hands disappeared Conner still held his eyes shut and it was not until he slowly lifted his eye lids and glimpsed out that he realised the blasts had ceased.

He looked around and saw Superman, still a little tired and beaten up. But he wore a smile on his face and that was a relief. But then he saw it. There was a big metal cylinder on the ground. On the top was a head and the smoke seemed to be going inside.

'What…what just happened?' Conner inquired, shakily.

Bruce then came in. 'It was Crane's Fear Inducing Hallucinogen. This device is sucking it all up so your head should just be clearing.'

Fear Gas? To this news Conner sighed. 'So this means I did not just shoot laser beams from my eyes?'

They both looked at each other uncertainly. 'Conner,' it was Superman that stepped in, 'you actually were. You shot a minute's worth of laser beams that nearly killed Solomon Grundy… it was lucky that I came in and stopped you from terminating him.'

Conner was speechless. _What?!_

_**-=S**_**UPERBOY**_**=-**_

_**I am so sorry for not updating. I have been really busy. Between study and writing my own novels it's difficult to find time for FanFiction. I hope you all enjoy this one though. It took some time to get a muse and even start to right this. My hopes are that I am able to finish all of my intended stories which the tie into my idea of a sort of SG-1/Avengers/Justice League/League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Please review. It helps and I need to know if this is a good idea-what I'm doing.**_

_**P.S. Also read my other works too, especially 'Leader Needed'. **_


	7. TROUBLES OF YOUTH

-_**TROUBLES OF YOUTH-**_

It was warm—Earth's yellow sun. The feeling it emitted was more than satisfying. Conner breathed in a sigh of relief at the feeling of solar energy. He stood there on the side of a mountain, basking in the light rays of morning. His red on black Solar Suit reacted positively with the intake, pumping solar energy where he needed it most…everywhere.

On his right was Superman, also standing to soak in the solar radiation of the sun—eyes closed he smiled. The previous night's battle had drained them both and like everything living needs nourishment, the two superheroes did too.

They remained quiet for the morning, the silence hung in the air and it was making Superboy quite anxious. In Clark's defence, basking in Earth's yellow sun was their peace time. Only an hour or so of standing and peace so quite was sort of required here. The morning rays shone like a beacon of hope for the day and the warmth if gave both literally to them, and poetically was beyond mesmerising.

Despite this great warmth and peace, Conner's mind was buzzing with unanswered questions and concerns. Topping the list was last night's battle and how Superboy was able to out of nowhere blast beams of fire from his eyes. His genetic code prevented him from doing so, or at least that was what he thought.

What was happening to him?

Conner furrowed, he would have no peace that morning. No, there were far too many thoughts in his mind. It could not have been the Shield patches that Luthor had given him, they were like drugs and Conner had been off of them for years.

Maybe it was because he was growing and as such was developing new powers from his exposure to the sun?

As he played that last thought back he realised how stupid it was and quickly dismissed it.

Conner could hear Superman's steady breathing and felt his mind easing a bit. The soft melodic escape of air was soothing. _How could Clark do that?_ Conner thought. _Remain calm and steady when I know he has as many questions in his head as I do._

After a few more minutes, Superman opened his eyes to the rays. He looked to Conner whom also opened his eyes and smiled at the boy. 'Wanna head back inside?' he asked.

Conner remained silent; he did not want to go inside just yet. He needed some time to think—time to think about just what is going on. Batman had said that it was only a distraction, the whole Doomsday wannabe fight. Then there were his extra Kryptonian abilities, though he had to admit that he did not feel the Heat Vision anymore.

They were at a sort of hidden army base of some sort in the north of America, an obscure instalment within the mountain itself.

Up at the top of the mountain, Conner still remained. Superman had flown down to the Army Base— he understood Conner's anguish and offered him a few words of comfort, 'We aren't defined purely on our mistakes. It's the attitude and the steps we take to rectify them.'

His thoughts played out before his eyes as he tried to piece together what was happening. After another hour he received a call through his earpiece. It was the rough voice of Batman requesting his presence.

'I'm on my way, Bruce.' With that Superboy jumped off the edge of the mountain top and slid down the side like he was on a skateboard.

In no time he reached the roof entrance of the instalment.

Conner ran through the concrete corridors of the army base. Its walls painted green with yellow lines, the sort of things you would expect in an army base. He saw several rooms where they had weaponry and labs with scientists, testing out something. It all looked rather familiar.

He even got a glimpse of a few genomorphs walking about and assisting some of the human scientists. This surprised Conner a lot. He thought that the Genomorphs were all dead, killed at CADMUS Labs. Conner felt a small ray of joy. His kin were alive. He'd have to ask Bruce about this.

Conner was running, he was rushing by so fast that he did not see a person striding by from the left intersection and to prevent crushing them, he skidded to a stop, tripping them both over.

'Argh, I'm so sorry, sir, please let me help—' Conner was stopped by the sight of who he had just ran into. It was a young woman of about seventeen or so, her blond hair was tied back in a ponytail. She was very beautiful by Conner's reckoning and instinctively he shot up and offered his hand to help her out. She took it and was back onto her feet. 'Sorry, ma'am, I didn't see you coming.'

'Yeah, well I wasn't exactly running now was I. So I guess my advice is to walk a little slower next time.' she said with a sharp edged yet youthful tone. She was shorter than him, tanned white complexion with a slender body hidden away by a white lab coat.

Conner chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. 'Sorry.' He then looked to the ground where he saw several folders and files scattered at their feet and again by instinct went down again to retrieve them.

'Ah, thanks,' she said as this strange young man went up again with her folders in hand to give back. She accepted them quickly and shuffled some over to their rightful placing.

'My name's Conner, what's yours?' Conner gave a lopsided grin.

She chuckled lightly, quickly examined the 'S' shield on his chest and then moved off, 'Not anything _you_ need to know yet.' She said back with a smile.

Conner raced in front of her, blacking her path, 'Wait, I…I don't think I was doing it right. See, I was trying to start off being funny and charming…um, please, can I have, like, a second chance?'

The beautiful young woman smiled, she tried to hide the blush creeping to the surface of her smooth cheeks by tucking some loose strands of hair behind her ear. 'Well, right now you've got the funny bit done.' She gave him a sly grin and walked past him again and said, 'See you later, Superboy.'

By then, Conner was smiling like an idiot throughout his walk.

He hadn't walked far until he reached his destination. It had the words Operations Centre on a silver plaque next to the sliding glass door. Inside, Conner could distinctively see Cyborg and Superman.

He walked in through the receding doors and towards his friends. Each of them had a troubling look on their faces. 'What's up, guys,' he announced, choosing to ignore their expressions of worry. 'Do you guys know what's happening?'

They were at a circular table, much like the one at Watchtower, in a dark room of blue computer lights.

It was relatively empty besides Cyborg, Superman and now he could also see, Catwoman without her cowl and Wonder Woman all seated at the table in front of a huge monitor of about five seven metres across and two metres in height. He stood there for a while and looked at the before taking a seat at the round table.

'How are you feeling, Conner,' Cyborg asked, clearly concerned.

'I'm fine, Victor. It's okay. I haven't felt the Heat Vision coming back so I think whatever happened last night is over.'

'Far from it actually,' they were all startled by the appearance of Bruce Wayne, now in his business suit and tie. He walked over from the side of the room and headed towards the big computer screen. 'Now, I know that there are a lot of questions you all have. I say it's only fair that I give them to you and that I start from the beginning.'

The multi-billionaire pressed a button on a remote and the screen changed, displaying a diagram of a ringlike object that seemed so familiar…

...of course, Conner remembered, that same diagram was playing from Luthor's projection device.

'This diagram shows a device currently in the possession of the United States Government.'

'What is it?' Conner asked.

They all shared a glance at each other. 'I reckon he's ready for the full story now, do you think?' stated Selina.

'Or whatever it is we already know,' added Superman.

Bruce nodded in agreement. 'This is an ancient device discovered a century ago,' he made a gesture to the left. 'Doctor Baker is on the project now.'

Then out from the shadows entered a young and beautiful woman, and Superboy just sat there looking awkwardly stupid again…it was that same woman Conner had just bumped into in the corridor.

'Alicia?' everyone looked at Superman as he got up and walked over to the small figure. He began to chuckle as they hugged.

'Hiya, Clark.' She laughed.

They broke apart but were still holding onto each other's arms, 'God, I haven't seen you since you were… what…ten years-old?'

'You two know each other?' Diana asked, arms crossed emanating a stern look.

Clark cleared his throat though seeming oblivious to Diana's suspicious expressions. 'This is Alicia Baker. I used to babysit her when I attended Smallville High. Alicia lived in a farm next to mine.' He then turned back to Alicia. 'So what are you doing here?'

Alicia smiled and told him that they'd explain everything in due time.

The young woman presented herself in front of the group of superheroes. 'Hello, ah…as Clark has said, my name is Alicia Baker,' she said, 'I am the lead Physicist of SGC, studying the device in question. Now to answer your question...um, it's "_Conner_" isn't it?' she pointed at the Superman clone.

Conner just smiled nervously, trying his best not to blush but nodded indistinctly. However, the redness of his cheeks did not go unnoticed to some. Both Selina and Diana were looking at each other with knowing looks aimed at Conner.

Alicia's sly grin returned and she moved her attention back to the board. 'We know very little about the device but energy readings found on the inside of the ring matches that of the Boom Tubes that the JL use. So my guess is that the device is similar as that it is a teleportation device.'

'Hmm, it's probably an earlier design that influenced Darkseid's Boom Tubes.' Conner concluded after some thinking.

'That was our first impression, yes.'

Conner then scratched his head, another thought came in. 'So why does Lex Luthor want with this? Doesn't he already have a Mother Box which opens his own Boom Tube network?'

They all nodded. So far that was all that the rest have heard from Wayne. Superman and Wonder Woman were just informed of the whole operation last night as they arrived at SGC. Of course, Selina Kyle, Cyborg and Bruce Wayne were already involved but it appears to have ended there in regards to the Justice League.

'That was what got me,' Bruce started. 'A few weeks ago, our Central computer was hacked by a bounced IP address. They stole the research done on the device and planted an army of viruses.'

'So that was how I ended up seeing it in Luthor's hands?' inquired Conner.

Bruce and Doctor Baker both bobbed their heads. 'Their motives are of yet unknown but are likely unfavourable.' Bruce then changed the display into a golden sword on a rack, seemingly behind a glass case. 'Last night, during the attack in Metropolis, there was a robbery at the Metropolis Museum of Art. The stolen items are a bounded document from the Crusades and an ancient golden sword from England.'

'Okay, that seems strange.' they all agreed.

'My guess is that they are looking for the key that could open the gate.'

This time Alicia changed the screen—a metal looking panel rising about a metre from the ground with an impression of half a ball. It looked almost alien-like. 'This is the control panel found connected to the ring. Now, we know even less about it but judging by the energy signature we have detected it is very distinct and yet still unknown but we believe that whatever it houses must be used to activate the device.'

Clark shook his head, Conner understood his confusion. 'This still does not tell us why Luthor wants a piece of technology obsolete compared.'

Bruce nodded. His stern face began to soften as he considered what he's learnt. 'There is more to this than meets the eye and definitely more than we know of.' Bruce approached the table, placed his hands on the surface and sighed deeply. 'Guys, we are now involved in something that looks beyond the Justice League. Let's just hope that we are all prepared to face whatever is coming.'

He then turned to Superboy.

'Conner, I need to have that talk with you after this meeting. So stay behind, please.' Conner squinted. His suspicions running high, telling him that something else was going on that he was omitting from the rest of the team. But knowing Batman, Conner knew it best not to question him…yet.

The conversation that followed was quite softer and less serious. There was laughing and everybody's hearts were more calm, the melody more harmonious.

Soon after, they all left. Clark and Diana left for Clark's apartment in Metropolis while Selina Kyle and Dr Alicia Baker headed for their dorms as assigned to them in the facility. Conner was actually just about to go ahead and talk to Alicia but was requested to stay behind for a talk with Bruce Wayne.

Bruce just stood there beside Conner, staring at the screen showing the ring device. The distinct symbols along the ring highlighted and with annotations that spoke of Astrophysicist Dr Baker's research.

'A remarkable woman,' Bruce stated about Alicia. 'She completed her PhD in Physics—both astrophysics and Bio-entanglement Physics, at age seventeen.'

'And now you've recruited her?'

Bruce shrugged. 'Her resume was impressive and she was more than qualified. And as you have already seen, she knows everything about us.'

Conner nodded. 'So what did you want with me?'

Bruce Wayne sighed and with the remote he pressed a button and the display changed. The screen became plain blue and then appeared an emblem— an isosceles triangle in a circle with a smaller disk directly above it. There were words below the symbol; Conner guessed that that was the name of the project or facility.

**STARGATE COMMAND AND SECURITY **

The multi-billionaire playboy smiled, hands in his pockets he glanced at the emblem and then back at Conner. The Superboy, cross genetic clone of the Man of Steel and Lex Luthor. 'Join us.'

—**=S=—**

_**C.S Lewis once said that 'Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.' **_

_**P.S. Also read my other works too, especially 'Leader Needed'. **_


	8. ALL AT ONCE

_**-ALL AT ONCE-**_

In the StarGate Command: Applied Sciences Departments, where scientists and technicians worked in the development of gadgets and equipment, in the Research division, Dr Alicia Baker studied her papers at her desk station. Behind her in the lab were four other physicists, her team, analysing similar reports. Baker with her glasses leaned in closer to the paper, the diagram of Project SG-X baffling her overworking mind.

'What the hell are you?' she grunted exasperated, placing her glasses callously on the desk.

There seemed to be a mysterious aura about the device. Alicia shook the feeling off as unworthy of her attention and continued to read her page. Again she would need to report in that there was absolutely no change in the device's behaviour.

There was so much mystery surrounding the project, not even the famous Bruce Wayne, famous for his cleverness and wit, could decipher this 'star gate'. And then there was their new member…or at least that is if Superboy accepts. For unknown reasons, Alicia abandoned her report and on her computer she opened up a data file on Conner Kent/Superboy.

He was a rather intriguing person. The boy did not seem to age according to the profile, Project Kr had been created by CADMUS Labs shortly after Clark flew to repair their dying sun before it exploded. Created to replace Clark when he left, assuming that Superman had died, but when he did return a few years after, his objectives changed into a weapon designed to fight head to head with Clark were the superhero to turn rogue.

She read on. Apparently cloning Superman's DNA rendered the subject mentally unstable and human DNA had to replace some of the original Kryptonian sequences. This meant that Conner did not have Clark's Heat Vision, Arctic Breath and Flight. His extraordinary ability to see and identify specific electromagnetic waves however was heightened. 'Fascinating,' she whispered to herself though now she was actually more interested in the file photo of Conner, 'unable to age, huh.'

After a while of shamelessly ogling Superboy, Alicia made her way to the Stargate chamber.

It was quiet. Not surprisingly, as not a lot of the scientists there felt at all safe around it. Sometimes Alicia swore she could hear voices coming out of the stone pedestal with the hole in the centre.

The SG facility was merely a huge room probably able to house a couple of jet fighter planes. No windows, only one door in and out. The device stood proud yet mysterious at the end of the room, the pedestal standing to the right. Alicia approached it. She found it quite comforting, the emptiness, though she never saw the room as empty. It housed a very full burden.

The physicist stood by the panel on the right and examined the hole. It was a dome sort of shape like a bowl, designed to hold small ball of some sort. There were intricate lines and patterns around it. She looked at the ringed device. 'Why were you created?'

**-=o=-**

'I…I don't know, Bruce.' Conner resigned his shoulders. 'There is a lot about all this that I don't really know and even more that I do but don't understand.'

'I know that it is a lot to process…and besides, I want you working in a team working covertly around the world.'

Conner shook his head, 'To do what exactly?'

Bruce just smiled at him. 'I need you to help in seeking out the secrets of the device and prevent Luthor's alliance from gaining whatever power he seeks.'

Conner considered this for a moment. He has been a part of many teams in the past…and future if he included the Legion Lost. 'Will I lead?'

'I'm sorry, Conner, but no,' Bruce winced, feeling the flash of pain he was sure had passed Conner's heart at the news. 'I have already chosen someone to lead the team. A British wizard if you can believe it.'

Conner nodded vaguely and turned his gaze toward the monitor, the SGC emblem. What could this _team_ offer?

'I need time to think about it.'

Bruce bobbed his head, he understood him. It was a very big and quick change he was asking the boy. 'Okay. Now we should talk about your little power problem.'

They walked around the room, Bruce with his hands behind his back. 'So do you have a clue on what's happening to me?'

'Yes, it would appear that those Shields that you've been using a few years ago have had a lasting effect. A small signature.'

'But I haven't used them in ten years.'

Bruce shrugged. 'All that I can say right now is that your blood had chemical traces found in the Shield patches. They are unpredictably supressing your human DNA for a few moments before moving on.' He stopped at a computer monitor and with a button it changed to show a simulation of red blood flowing through capillaries. 'They are like white blood cells that act upon a rise in blood pressure. Where they seek out human DNA and neutralises it. When the blood cools down, your heart rate slows, this new cell organism detaches and then dies.

But that isn't the end. Your body has now adapted to the patches and have already manufactured more, adapting them into your system. In anger or grief and anguish, you will find yourself gain pretty much the same powers as a normal Kryptonian.' The screen then showed a picture of a microscopic view of darkish cells that looked just like his normal blood cells but were made up of even smaller black cells.

Conner was left in awe at Bruce's explanation. Could it be? Was his body morphing into…a superman? 'But what about my uncontrollable rage?' he asked. 'When I used the patches I found I could not control my anger. It was one of the reasons I stopped using them.'

'I fear that the numbers suggest that that side effect will remain. Unless of course you control your rage however, in doing so the cells will not react.'

That was simple enough, Conner thought, and it makes a lot of sense. 'I guess I'll need to learn to control my anger then. Feeling the amount of power they gave me, the amount of power Clark feels all the time, it scares me.'

Bruce exhaled, emptying his lungs. 'I know. It scares Clark as well sometimes.' He placed a comforting hand on Conner's shoulder. 'Which is why you need to control it, control your emotions—'

**-=O=-**

There was a piece of metal, a shard sticking out of the inside of the bowl. Alicia studied it from afar before reaching in to detach it. She was known by her friends for her insatiable curiosity and lack of fear to quench it, yet this was an instance where that curiosity would definitely have killed the cat.

It came as a terrifying shock to her when as soon as she touched the shard…

_**BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!**_

A small yet explosion pushed her to the ground. But that was not the end. The ground began to shake violently. The panel was grumbling like a volcano about to erupt. What had she done?

Still on the ground and facing the shaking pedestal she crawled backwards. There was a stream of light dancing from the surface—a line of energy reacting to Alicia's touch.

'Oh God!' she screamed.

**-=O=-**

Her screams echoed, through the sound proof walls…Conner caught them.

'Time to go,' and with that he vanished.

His super speed took him to the Star Gate Hanger room in no more than fifteen seconds. Was it the Super cells?

Conner smashed in through the walls and when he saw Alicia on the concrete floor, screaming her lungs out, and the ancient panel shaking with a shining ray of energy violently waving, he ran to it. It was just too bright. The energy waves were strange and Conner could not place it on the electromagnetic spectrum he was so used to seeing.

He acted fast, running past the young physicist and in front of the stone panel. Hands on the side of the square surface he attempted to shield the woman behind him from the inevitable blast.

Then _**THUUUUUUUUUUMMMM!**_

There was another explosion, Conner stood his ground. The pain though was just too much. What was this?

He was screaming. Conner Kent was screaming in pain and agony, his body was burning from the inside out. Despite this, he kept his hands firmly on the panel. His pain resonating off the wall, leaving cracks on the concrete.

Then…there was nothing…

Superboy found himself on a plain of darkness. _Where am I?_ He asked the void. No response. He felt the ground, it was solid enough though Conner could not differentiate enough and make out any sort of shape or form. He was not at StarGate Command anymore. It was like a black smoke of blackness.

There was then a woman that materialized out of the shadows. A woman illuminated in a bright light like the pedestal.

'Kon,' she called to him. 'Kon-El…' she disappeared.

'Wait!' Conner called to her.

She reappeared again closer to him. She was a tall woman with long flowing blonde hair and strange looking robes covering to her slender knees. 'Kon-El, you mustn't…' she paused and looked around her. 'You must not open the Stargate…' she was disappearing and then reappearing again as if she were static. Like she was a holographic projection and Conner was transfixed. 'Please, my boy, do not open the gate…not until I am released.'

Then she began to fade away. 'Wait…who are you?!'

Her face turned into sadness. She looked down to the…well to her fading feet. 'I am the cause of all this…of your plight, of your war.'

'What, what war?'

'In a universe of false light…what is a Queen of true darkness to do?' and with that she disappeared, 'But to exist with a shield and a sword…and a shroud to cover the tear—a sword to shred the light, separate truth from falsehood, and a shield to protect the dead…the dead from the lies.'

Conner was spinning around, looking for her again. 'Please, I don't understand. What are you talking about?'

There was no answer but a blinding flash of the mystic light. He could feel the real world again. He could feel the pain… he was burning!

—**=S=—**

_**C.S Lewis once said that 'Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.' **_

_**P.S. Also read my other works too, especially 'Leader Needed'. **_


	9. VALUE OF HEROES

_**-VALUE OF HEROES-**_

It came as a throbbing headache—consciousness, an agonising throb in his cranium as if he were hit over the head by a Kryptonite bat or something. Conner slowly opened his eyes to a face hiding behind a surgical mask. A light passing of UV light and Conner's focus was back.

'Hay, welcome back, Conner,' said the doctor though he was sure that he'd never met the man.

Conner tried to lift himself up from the bed, his head still aching. 'Argh, what happened?' it came out in a gargle as fluids splattered out of his mouth. Conner groans in pain as he captures the liquids in his hands.

'Easy there, boy,' said the doctor. 'You've been in critical condition and comatose for forty-eight hours. You're suffering from some sort of hypovolemic shock.'

What? Conner shook his head in confusion. 'Hypovolemic—did I lose some blood?' he was in a white medical room. His Solar suit, he noticed was in its second form where only the S-Shield on his chest was present, his shoulders, forearms and legs were covered and glowing.

'Actually,' Conner turned around and saw Alicia walk in with Bruce and Clark. 'When you came in contact with the pedestal, the energy it emitted had sort of…' she seemed suddenly unsure of whether to continue.

'It's okay, Dr Baker, he needs to know,' Bruce told her.

She nods and recomposes herself. 'Your blood sort of disappeared.'

'What?!' Conner was in panic now. His heart rate had quickened, made apparent by the fast beeping of the heart monitor.

'Calm down, Mr Kent, your body is still quite fragile,' informed the doctor as he pressed a button on the heart machine. 'When you were exposed to the radiation, about 3.7 gallons of red blood cells had simply evaporated. However when we took you out of the SG hanger, your blood just reappeared again.' The doctor then pointed to his S-Shield, 'If not for your Solar Uniform and the intake of solar energy, you might have actually died.'

Conner was lost. His head was just all over the place, fried, completely scrambled. He was not in the mood for all of this. What had he gotten himself into? 'Okay, I…I need to get home.' He got up and stumbled clumsily to the door. 'It was great meeting you all, loved the talks, the surprises…' he then looked to Alicia, '…the views. But I am effen tired and in need of some sleep.'

'Conner, wait—'

'Bruce, I'm tired of having to wait all the time! I'm tired, I'm tired, I'm just so effen tired of it all. Haven't we been through enough?'

Mr Wayne was exasperated, 'Conner, it's what we are to endure the toughest of times, endure and come out stronger.'

'Bruce, please…Just give me a break, alright. I've had enough for one day…or several. 'Conner had significantly calmed down though he still had a rather unstable look in his eyes. Conner Kent and mental illness? Not a good combination.

The Multi-billionaire and head of the instalment sighed but complied, he directed him to a U.S soldier assigned to show him to his temporary room. He tried not to listen in to what they were sure to say about him but in the end had only heard Alicia remark sarcastically on how well it went.

Conner mumbled under his breath throughout the journey to his compartment. His room was a small cosy chamber much what one would expect from a military installation. It was very different to his room at Mount Justice, then the soldier closed the door and Conner found himself in the dark. Now it was very familiar.

He let out a gust of air that his lungs had been holding back. 'Welcome home…wait…I haven't said "yes" yet.' With this he smiled. He may not have all of Superman's powers, but he could definitely out run Wally at times.

With a whoosh Superboy was out.

Although his departure went unnoticed by everyone else, Bruce had both anticipated and felt him leave. The billionaire simply smiled as he monitored the computer screen showing the outside of Conner's room. He saw the black and red blur and knew Conner had just left.

'Find your value, Conner.' He whispered.

**O/=—**

_**METROPOLIS**_

Conner walked through the crowd of people walking casually in the evening city. His Solar Suit was hidden under a plain black shirt, a yellow Carhartt jacket and dark blue jeans. This was his disguise, this and his tussled hair. He would have gone for the glasses like Clark did, but decided against it. 'Looks…nerdy,' he once commented to Clark.

As he walked among them, he felt at peace. It felt strange to be able to walk freely among the normal people, it felt good—a feeling of contentment that Conner was so obsessed with.

Thus Conner walked with a smile, a nice worm smile. When he passed a little girl, around five, standing with her mother as she talked to another woman, laughing and smiling, the girl seemed quiet with an unsure frown. Conner smiled at her and perhaps she did recognise him as Superboy, perhaps not but her frown had quickly morphed into a giggle. One never minds notices how much a smile is worth to people—more than a thousand dollars in cash.

The girl started biting her thumb lightly, shyly hiding behind her mother's leg. Conner stopped and began to make funny faces for her. She beamed at him before giggling again, shyly. Conner could not help but smile too.

What the girl could not see was that Conner had a hand behind his back, clutching a small piece of very rare metal and was carefully moulding it. It became a small winged horse. Conner crouched down and presented the gift to her. She instantly beamed in excitement and accepted the gift with an open mouth.

'Think…thank you, Superman, sir.' She funnelled her hand in a whisper.

Conner was speechless for a moment but then inclined his head and patted her on the head before getting up, silently bidding farewell and walked off. He could hear the girl making whoosh flying noises in the background and Conner's happiness was enhanced.

'You make a tendency of disappearing from high security Military facilities through your time at Young Justice?' Conner was surprised there to see Dr Alicia Baker appear beside him and continued to walk along.

'How'd you find me?'

The physicist shrugged, 'A little birdy told me,' then she reached forward to his back and showed him a small device that looked like it came from his collar.

'Ah,' Conner rubbed the back of his neck. 'Very…Batman of you,' he chuckled.

Alicia joined in his laughter. 'Well, I did have to learn from him for a while after joining.'

Conner kept silent, he subtly surveyed her from the corner of his eyes. She was wearing a white stylish sweater, jeans and a brown Messenger bag. Her hair she still tied back in a ponytail which emphasised her beautiful face. She looked stunning, thought Conner. 'Could I ask what you're doing here?'

'I thought it would be obvious.' She answered.

'I would have come back when I cleared my head. Bruce knows this. You didn't have to come all the way to Metropolis just to get me.'

Alicia smirked at him, rather smugly if Conner knew better. 'Actually I'm here to hold you on to that offer of a second chance, Superboy.' Her smile was then accompanied by a suggestive wink before she continued to walk on.

Conner was left dumbstruck, he then laughed off that feeling and power walked to catch up with her.

Alicia said that they were heading to a restaurant that she had in mind. It was rather lavish establishment, rather like the restaurant at High town Metropolis. Conner offered to pay for the table, that night he had mustered all of the chivalry and manners that the Kents had taught him—even getting her chair for her and letting her order first. Alicia was actually rather amused by his knightly acts.

'You don't see a lot of men brave enough to do that anymore,' she said. 'I think feminism sort of went on an inquisition against chivalry.'

Conner laughed. He agreed, to a point. They spent the night at their table next to a ground view of the Metropolitan city streets. 'People try to rectify past wrongs done to them by retaliating in kind, sometimes more cruel and violent.'

'That's very philosophical, Conner. I'd be honest and say I was not actually expecting that from you.' Alicia chuckled playfully as she sipped her glass of white wine.

Conner knew that there was not insult in her words. His lips broke a half smile as he popped a piece of chicken breast with his fork.

'Conner…could I ask you something?' Conner shrugged then signalled his approval. 'What actually happened? When you touched the pedestal, what happened?' her face was inquisitorial, a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

Conner huffed, merging on annoyance. How could he explain what he had experienced? They said that he was unconscious for two days yet his conversation with that mysterious woman was over in a flash. 'I don't think we should look for the key to the Stargate.'

'What?' Alicia was looking at him in confusion.

'I don't think we should activate the device. Something tells me that that is what Luthor wants.' He made himself sound casual, as if it were a day-to-day conversation and request.

Dr Baker opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out and just as she formed some words, they were interrupted. A young couple had stopped by their table. A young man maybe a few years older than Alicia, with darkish blonde hair, fair skin and rather tall, his partner was a woman of same age with dark brown hair. Her skin was a little more darker than his and she was a n inch shorter.

'Hi, um, I'm sorry but have we met?' the man asked them. Conner and Alicia shared a glance with each other, Alicia silently asking him if he recognised them, Conner telling her he didn't. Then the man extended his hand in greeting. 'I'm sorry, my name is Matthew McDougal,' Conner took the offered hand and shook it lightly. Then Matthew turned to the woman next to him, 'This is my wife Francesca—'

'But most people call me Frankie,' she added.

'Ah, nice to meet you,' Alicia beamed at them.

There was a moment of silence until Matthew broke it by speaking softly, saying 'You might not remember us but a few days ago you saved me and my wife in a fire.'

'Yeah and we would just like to say thank you,' Frankie had that look of sincere gratefulness. That was when she patted her stomach and Conner knew. He could see the embryo inside her. In other words she was pregnant. 'My husband and I are Australians and came here to visit old friends.' She seemed flustered but continued to thank him. 'Thank you, Superboy, for being the one to save us, then for assisting the fire-fighters in extinguishing the fire. We know you didn't have to.'

Conner inclined his head, 'No worries,' he said, remaining as humble as possible. It was true though—he had gotten into an argument with some of the fire-fighters who thought that Superboy was stealing their jobs. He told them that he was only helping, that he was giving them a chance to save others. There were three other houses on fire five blocks away. Conner had insisted that they divide their efforts and extinguish the others.

Frankie then moved in and took Conner in a tight hug. She was on the verge of tears. So with that after Matthew and Frankie thanked him some more as well as reassuring him that they would guard his secret, the Australian couple departed, they too had booked a table upstairs.

After that they left the restaurant and were walking down the night streets of Metropolis' tourism and business district, Alicia couldn't help but stare at him with adoration, which was rather uncomfortable to the hero.

'Can I ask you another question?' asked a grinning Alicia. Conner simply nodded. 'Why _did_ you quit the Teen Titans?'

Conner shrugged. He never really put much thought on it after his initial decision. 'I…would I be considered bad if I told you that I found no progress or future in it?'

Alicia raised an eyebrow. 'What do you mean?'

Conner let out a puff of air. 'I just…I've been Superboy for years. I mean, I thought I was doing the right thing and I was but I soon caught myself looking around and noticed my colleagues change, they grow,' Conner's voice grew into a whisper, barely audible. 'I look at my friends and I see a future for them. I see the joy they have in growing up, transitioning.

Soon there would be a new Batman and Dick will have to grow in and take his place. Kaldur would become captain of the Atlantean Guard like he'd always talk about. Wally has already settled down with Artemis…Everybody changes and gets better, and me? I'm forever a shadow of the Man of Steel. I'm an imperfect, immortal clone of a perfect immortal being. I have no future…just an everlasting life of misery.'

Dr Baker sighed and placed a hand gently on his own. She looked into his eyes and exhaled again. 'I understand how lonely it must feel…well, not completely but I can imagine. I have a good imagination, you know. Anyway,' she trailed off, 'being the protector of what's right doesn't mean you have to sacrifice everything. And having everything doesn't mean you have to sacrifice protecting what's right.'

Conner chuckled, 'Now look who's being philosophical,' Alicia joined in too but the grew serious again. Not the bad sort of Batman serious, hers leaned into a loving concern. Conner welcomed this rather well. 'I'd like to know if what I'm destined to eternally fight for is worth the struggle.'

'Did you see the look of gratitude on Mr and Mrs McDougal's faces? They were more than grateful, they were content in feeling safe, knowing that there are people like you out there, Conner.'

She stopped them, hands on Conner's chest she took a deep breath, hiding the blush on her cheeks as she slowly unbuttoned a few of Conner's flannel plaid shirt, slightly revealing the red S-Shield. 'Clark once told us that the symbol for the House of El meant hope. He also said that the hope is not limited to everyone else with the exception of those charged with giving it. He said that in order to give hope you must first have hope enough to give.'

'Do you believe him?'

'Well he himself seems very happy now he's with Diana. But that's why you won't be alone when saving the world. And you shouldn't be. Do you think that heroes just come in and save a guy from drowning? No, they stand as a lasting example that they don't need to be alone to do the right thing.'

Conner remained silent, Alicia seemed very passionate at that moment, he did not know what it was but he was finding himself more attracted to her. 'But would joining SGC be a right decision?'

'Conner, if I were blunt I'd say that it was basically the same as Young Justice and the Teen Titans. With the exception of our close working with technology that we could neither get rid of or afford it falling to the wrong hands.' Alicia took a few steps back, still locked gaze with the Superboy. 'Conner, we're not asking you to save the world. We're asking you to protect it. It's sort of like joining a Masonic lodge…more dangerous.' With that she closed the gap between them and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, mouthing a '_Good night_' before departing.

Conner was left at the Bus stop to ponder. It was just what he needed to finally, for the first time in four days he was able to think. What would I stand to gain? I will not be the leader…again, but I guess I decided that I never really cared, years ago.

**O/=—**

Billionaire Bruce Wayne waited in the Missions Room. He analysed the giant monitor in front of him. He then turned and faced the holographic projection of the globe. When he heard the soft hiss of the automatic doors opening, he smiled.

Conner walked in, hands in his pocket he shyly made his way to him. 'Have you made up your mind yet?'

He looked at the billionaire and smiled uncertainly. 'Count me in, Bruce. I've been doing some thinking and maybe I don't need to be the hero in order to serve the planet.'

Wayne bobbed his head, grinning in contained excitement he returned to the globe. 'Conner, remember what Clark said. We're not heroes…we are guardians of the good. In our own ways we are Men of Steel, Maidens of Might,' he placed a hand on Conner's shoulder, a frequent gesture he'd show, stating his intentions as a father figure to him, 'Dark Knights.' Conner inclined to nod at him. Bruce smiled at him again, 'Good, now we start. We are assigning you your first mission.'

Conner was shocked, though he did not know why. In truth he was more surprised at being surprised. This was Batman—of course he'd have you start work right away. Wait, did Bruce intend for me to accept the job on this particular day? 'Already? That was quick—don't I get like an orientation day or something?'

'You did, and you chose to spend it in Metropolis.'

Superboy sighed. _Typical_, he thought. 'Okay, hit me, what's the sitch?'

'Our priority at the moment is recruitment,' stated the billionaire before pressing a button and the hologram zoomed in on a part of the United States. 'There is a person currently in New York who currently possesses an artefact of great importance. I need you to convince him to join the Legion.' With that the billionaire playboy/crime fighter hands Conner a yellow file with the SGC emblem on it, as well as a big red _classified_ stamp and photo. 'Find him and bring him in, Conner.'

Conner inclined and flipped through the file. He read the briefing and furrowed. He read his target's name, a former bartender, 'Desmond Miles?'

—=S=—

'_**A hero is an ordinary individual who **__**finds **__**the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles**__**' —Christopher Reeve**_

_**I'm sorry for the quality of this chapter. **_

_**P.S. Also read my other works too, especially 'Leader Needed' which is part 1 of my shared universe. There is a longer explanation of the nature of heroism. **_


	10. BONUS CHAPTER

_**STARGATE COMMAND_BIL.W-MEMORY_FILE2**_

_**EARTH—**_

_**4,600,060,010 BCE …**_

The night air was cold, I sighed to the touch, or maybe it was the touch of soft skin of the woman laying down on his right.

A curious man I was, I looked up at the sky, wondering about just random things now. I too was lying down, head on my hands as I turned to face the beautiful woman beside me. Her long blonde hair covered most of my view but he could still see her smiling as she watched the stars above.

I reach in and remove some of her golden locks, her pale face turns and smiles up at me. 'It's a beautiful night tonight, isn't it?'

It was more a statement than anything though I smiled at my own twist of meaning. Yes she is beautiful, I mutter. Then I reach down and capture the woman's lips in my own. 'You are beautiful, Persephone.'

She blushes and then leans upwards to recapture his lips, 'Even in my limited form.'

'Oh you are nowhere near limited or imperfect…not perfect though…' I tried a joke which she laughed to and playfully smacked my arm. 'I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Persephone, you are the greatest person I have ever met. The embodiment of perfection and I love you, I love everything about you.'

'Oh, my love,' she sighs. I see her sad eyes and could sort of guess what is going around her head. She cups my head in her hands, her delicate cold fingers brushing my scarred cheek. 'If not for this war I'd have accepted your marriage proposal, you know that.' She says and I smile up at her.

But then I notice my own smile change, I could not help but be reminded of tomorrow. I give her a saddened smile but accepted her explanation. She then snuggles into me, her head resting on my chest. She told me that she was listening to the soft melodic play of my heart. 'We have this night at least,' I whisper to her. She mumbles '_yes_'.

That night was spent with little words and kisses. We just laid there on the grass and watched the heavens shower us with the marvels that have interested me. Oh, when I look at her…I love her, this human and we were at peace that night, knowing it wouldn't last but it did not bother me. Not that night.

**O/=- 01001100 01101111 01100001 01100100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00101110 00101110 00101110[LOADING…]4c 6f 61 64 69 6e 67 2e 2e 2e…**

'They rise against us, these mortal slaves?!' exclaims my young brother…and my king. 'How could they dare to do so, Hades?!' he says to me. It was not a question.

I just stand on the balcony, Zeus in front, surveying the uproar below. I see on the other side of Zeus, his wife Hera and then there was Poseidon too.

'Do they not feel gratitude when I banish the Titan dictators before us?'

I try not to listen to him, though he is my king…he is first and foremost my youngest brother. But the way he talks about the human species we helped shape…it angered me.

When I created the technology that enslaved them…it was not my intent.

Then Zeus draws out his golden staff, Poseidon with his trident and Hera with her ring, all of which were created by me and powered by my devices, the 'Apples'.

I watch in horror as then my brothers and Zeus' spouse, produces an Apple each and with them begin shooting out their energies. Immediately they all fall down in prostration. I look at my family with anger and disgust.

'You know, when my friends and I created the Apples, this was not what I had intended to be their purpose.' Soon all attention was on me. Demeter appeared behind me and to my relief, I was in the wind.

'Brothers, Jupiter and Minerva have called to ask of brother Hades' progress.'

I groan as then all attention was back upon me. The progress that our colleagues refer to is the project that my friends Loki, Thoth and Hephaestus and I have been working on with our powerful tools—newer weapons and a space vessel to carry us across the stars.

Juno had said that they intended to explore and study other planets but we knew better. There was nothing in their minds now but control and power, through conquest and death. 'Yes we are on schedule. I need but a few more tests.'

Zeus nods to me before dismissing Demeter.

Do they still not see, have they learnt nothing of the torments that we endured at the hands of our father?

I don't expect Zeus to know…he was spared imprisonment when our mother kept his birth a secret. He was saved and thus felt naught of our pain. It angers me to think of it sometimes. I look back down at the prostrating race…our slaves.

But I can fix this. Immediately I thought of Persephone. I will remove the chip inside her that gives the Apples their grip. If my race must rule them, then I will deny them rule over the one person I love.

**LOADING KNOWN SEQUENCE_9,000,000,000,0****10****… **

_**4,600,060,008 BCE **_**O/**_**=-**_

I clutched my throbbing head and sigh. It almost sounds like defeat. There was another man with me in the study. Loki was his name, an esteemed colleague of mine. He enters clutching a small spherical object of gold.

'Headache?' he guesses.

I simply give a nod, still pinching the bridge of my nose in attempt to dull the pain. We had been working on the project for years now and an extra few hours at night too. But we didn't mind that much, well at least I didn't. Our work was important, and I was not talking about the weapons and the ship. No, through my studies to our sun's movements I have discovered something disturbing and important. Very important and Jupiter's war against their human slaves topped with his younger brother's war against the powerful Titan race was only getting in our way.

'You know Zeus won't believe you, right?'

'I…I know, Loki. His heads too deep into war—but this involves the survival of life on this planet.' I took the orb from his friend's hands and examined it. It was my first working creation and we had already mass produced it for the Precursors in the West. I did not however intend for the 'Apple' to be used in such a devastating and degrading manor.

But now we had other plans with my invention. I was going to create another gate, one that led to a world of our own creation, like I did with the fiery inferno of the Tartarus Zone that Zeus had us cast our father into, only this world would be great and beautiful. Though not a replacement for this planet, my friends and I—the Illuminati, hoped it would sustain everyone long enough for whatever catastrophe transpired.

'Well he is your younger brother and you being the oldest, he has to believe you.' Loki pointed out as he closely examined another one of the Apples at an angle. 'Oh and I forgot to tell you, Thoth might not be able to come over tomorrow with your shipment of minerals. His brother Osiris had just died.'

I understood and gestured as much and returned to his work. Me, Thoth of the East and Loki of the North were the best minds in our fields. We also shared the same disagreement about the _normal_ belief that we were _gods_. Smart for our already intelligent race and as thus we knew to fear this threat that the numbers had predicted. 'How far away is the solar flare?' I asked.

Loki looked at his glowing stone tablet. When he saw the numbers appear he began to think. 'Um, in…four seasons.'

'What…seven-hundred and thirty days?' to say I was gobsmacked and terrified would be an understatement. There was not a lot of time left. I needed to gather the components and construct my master gate. I only hoped his brothers and sisters would listen to me and abandon their vanity and play of supremacy…

—**=O=—**

**MEMORY INTERUPTED...** **01010011 01100101 01110001 01110101 01100101 01101110 01100011 01100101 00100000 01100101 01110010 01110010 01101111 01110010…53 65 71 75 65 6e 63 65 20 65 72 72 6f 72…SEQUENCE ERROR_STAND_BY…**

I took her hands in mine and looked deep into her eyes, feeling hers searching deep into mine. With the Light as my witness, I took my vows to protect and serve her as she did the same for me. Our love was the only thing present that night. We were at the forest that surrounded Mount Olympus. Rays of moonlight squeezing past the branches, the world here was simply perfect…why would they want to change it?

My love—she in a flowing and simple white gown, hair tied back, she was so beautiful. Me? I was merely in the best clothes that I had. To think that I was nervous when we started and now I just didn't care. The twilight shining, illuminating her beauty and I found myself speechless, just admiring her stunning beauty.

As Eros, my nephew wrapped the binding cloth for the ritual, I could see the tears roll off Persephone's pale cheeks. Yet she was smiling, she was happy, she had told me they were tears of joy and I believe her.

Eros smiles, nearly tearful himself as he told us to conclude the Bonding Rite. I give a relieving smile as both our foreheads touch lightly. Then our noses touch by which I whispered, 'I am forever yours, my beloved Persephone.'

She chuckles joyously before whispering, 'And I you…my love, in this world and the next.'

We broke apart but our gazes stuck. 'And now I declare you bonded by right and decree of The Light,' with that, Eros unwraps our hands and walks backwards, out of sight as we continue to stare lovingly.

I love her, I love this member of the homo-sapiens and nothing my brothers, my sisters…not even Jupiter could take that away from us.

When I was young, I was taught to believe that love, liberty and time were so disposable to people like us—to immortals. I now see that time, liberty and most importantly—love, are precious in any form…and must be protected. Now I worry as I look at my beloved. How do I save her? How do I save us all?

In the

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**-=/**_**S**_**UPERBOY**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE…This is a bonus Chapter that I intend to put in the end of every fic tied to each other. I hope you enjoy it and will follow on.**


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